A gas turbine engine generally includes a fan and a core arranged in flow communication with one another. In operation, at least a portion of the air over the fan is provided to an inlet of the core. Such portion of the air is progressively compressed by one or more compressors until it reaches a combustion section, wherein fuel is mixed with the compressed air and burned to provide combustion gases. The combustion gases are routed through one or more turbines, driving the one or more turbines. The one or more turbines may, in turn, drive the one or more compressors via respective shaft(s). The combustion gases are then routed through an exhaust section, e.g., to atmosphere.
In addition to driving the one or more compressors, the shaft(s) can additionally drive a fan, e.g., through a gearbox. The gearbox allows the shaft(s) to be rotated at a higher speed relative to the fan for greater efficiency. Fans of certain gas turbine engines additionally include various components for further increasing an efficiency. For example, certain fans include a pitch change mechanism operable with a plurality of fan blades of the fan to change a pitch of each of the plurality of fan blades. Additionally, one or more fan counterweights may be provided to ensure balanced rotation of the fan during operation.
It can be difficult to install each of these various components of the fan, and further it can be difficult to maintain each of these individual components of the fan. For example, in certain gas turbine engines, each of these components are installed individually and bolted to one or more structural members from an aft end. In order to reach such components for, e.g., maintenance or repair, all of the components positioned around or forward of such component must also be removed.
Accordingly, a gas turbine engine having a fan that may be installed and/or removed more efficiently and with greater ease would be useful.